Philosophical? Well, that's what you get when you're able to show your guest an original draft of the Gettysburg address (which the history-mad Jiang can quote verbatim), and happen to have the National Symphony orchestra playing on your lawn. In this congenial atmosphere, the presidents' conversation apparently ranged across 4,000 years of Chinese history and the relatively puny 200-year American version.
But here's the surprise: It wasn't just small talk. T words such as Tibet, Taiwan and even Tiananmen previously considered anathema to such a meeting were openly discussed. Now that's progress the protesters in nearby Lafayette park knew nothing of. Jiang, it is becoming clear, is a different kind of dictator and with a "hot line" set to be installed between Beijing and Washington, he and Clinton can philosophize to their hearts' content.